


Christmas At Hogwarts

by Shatterpath



Series: The 13 AUs of Christmas 2017 [6]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Alternate Universe - Teenagers, F/F, Sappy, Sassy, Sweet, minor Lucy/Susan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-16 15:20:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13056684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shatterpath/pseuds/Shatterpath
Summary: Christmas is always a magical time, and Hogwarts does like to go all out for the students! But Alex wasn't the best quidditch player Slytherin-- if not the whole of Hogwarts-- had put up in years without learning a little flair. That she ends up impressing someone unexpected? A delightful gift indeed.And who know where that might lead, hmmm?For the thirteen AUs of Christmas, my author wrote for me,A cheesy filk sung badly,Luthors who aren't evil,Sexy Space pirates,Amazing awful first date,Meeting at a fan con,Christmas at Hogwarts,





	1. A surprise Visit

**Author's Note:**

> The obligatory Hogwarts AU! I was toying with idea even before this whole project got dreamed up, because the concept is SO popular! The wizarding world is a magnificent setting, but the trauma of the canon got too much for me. Since I never made it past book/movie 4 and kept the world details vague as to not upset any purists.
> 
> I envision this as a world where Voldy died properly the first time and the relentless events of the books were simply a group of friends going through the much more mundane trials and tribulations of school life.

"Come on, Kara! We'll be late!"

Lena hated to be short with her dearest friend, but honestly, that girl had the most terrible time being on time to anything! Finally Kara made her appearance in her layers of soft tulle trimmed in golden embroidery and they both shrugged into their best winter wraps. Hand in hand, the girls fled the Gryffindor tower to find a chilled Winn waiting for them.

The friends excitedly complimented one another and began their familiar trek across the grounds of Hogwarts, excited for the Yule dance. Oh, it wasn't a true Yule Ball, for those had gone away along with the Triwizard Tournaments even before their parent's time, but they were excited for the fancy evening anyway. And tomorrow, presents to be had!

This would be a grand dance, for they were sixteen now-- well almost sixteen in Winn's case-- and practically grownups! They all looked amazing and the whispered rumors of the gloriousness of the holiday decorations had been all the students could buzz about for weeks now.

Only one thing would make Kara's holiday perfect and with no letter borne to her by owl or any more exotic winged creature as was her sister's amusing habit, she'd given up hope. It was rare for anything to dampen that one's sunshine, but missing Alex terribly was a shadow she carried with her always. It had been a very long half a year since her sister had finished her studies at Hogwarts and gone on to great things. There had been a steady stream of letters, but no visits.

The great clock rang the eight o'clock hour as they reached the Grand Hall's courtyard, signaling that the party had officially begun. But the flood of students paused at sudden flashes of fast movement in the skies above. 

The ponderous tone of the great clock boomed over all sound, but there was no mistaking the roar of wind and wing that exploded over the courtyard between peals. They were a quartet of broom riders and four great winged shapes, the largest nearly as big as a hippogriff! They split into the cardinal directions, swooping with various levels of speed and pattern to set off Christmas-themed fireworks in a tapestry across the sky. Students and their guests poured into the night, joining those already gawking at the display. 

Against the deepening blues of night, one rider stood out, dancing patterns with a large bird gloriously resplendent of tail who seemed to flash Christmas colors in the poor light. As the other pairs swept about with smaller firework displays, the fast rider climbed until they were little more than a speck.

And came diving at the ground at murderous speed as the sky came to life. From horizon to horizon, the bowl of the heavens lit up with color, became a vast dragon with wings and maw spread to chase the rider towards the ground, roaring fit to shake the stones. Bird and rider split into a falling spiral to brake their insane speed, whipped across the snowy roof fast enough to make it snow once again.

The students screamed in excited terror as the fiery dragon's maw loomed large as life and death, only to explode to the courtyard flagstones in a shower of hotly-glowing sparkles. From the dazzling remains of their pursuer, the fast rider swept in, standing arrogantly upon their angled broom, hand near the head and effortlessly balanced on the footpegs above the tightly packed bristles. With a great sweep, the broom whipped almost close enough to the crowd to rustle skirt and robe alike, once more showering the crowd with glittering ice and snow.

The rider stepped to the stones, leaving the broom to stand on its own and provide the resplendent phoenix colored all the shades of the rainforest, a place to rest. Whipping back her hood and goggles revealed a stunning smile even as Kara shouted. 

"Alex!"

No matter her shorter stature, Alex lunged over and swept her sister into a crushing hug, spinning her about and laughing. "I've missed you! Happy Christmas!"

And Kara clung right back, never feeling as home as she did in this embrace. "You're here! You came! I didn't think…"

Leaning back, Alex cupped Kara's face in her gauntleted hands and smiled sweetly. "No power on this earth was going to keep me away from you for Christmas."

It had been long months of missing Alex, of being distracted by every flutter of Slytherin green or flash of wild brown-red hair. Every time Kara found herself questioning a lesson or wanting to pass on a funny bit of story or just really, really needed a hug… the separation was a kick to the chest. Somehow, it was actually worse than those two long years when Alex had gone on to Hogwarts and Kara had to stay behind.

For a long time, they just clung to one another amidst the babble of the crowd around them. Kara was shocked at how much her sister had changed. Who was this tall-standing, grinning near-stranger who beamed with a self-assured pride that had been so hit and miss all her years at Hogwarts? Whatever secrets she was hiding about what she had been busy with suited her well.

"Oh my gosh, what did you do to your hair?"

The shock of her little sister had Alex laughing uproariously and shaking out the jaw-length bob she'd indulged in. "I love it! Now that I've done it, should have done it back the first time I saddled up on a broom!"

"Mom is going to kill you!"

There was nothing of a reserved Slytherin to Alex as she laughed even harder, squeezing her sister tight to her.

"That was quite the dramatic entrance."

"Yeah, I suppose Gran-Gran is going to use it as another grumble about how I should have been Gryffindor all along!"

As though the comment had conjured her up, Minerva McGonagall's voice carried over the excitement. "Now, now students, off to the great hall with you. This chill will do no one any favors. Run along!" Her great granddaughters grinned at her, arms still around one another, as contrasting and complementary as always. Focused on the elder, she commented dryly, "I half expected you to fall from the fireplace in a cloud of Floo powered with your ruffians in a tangle of limbs and vulgarities."

That brought on the most boisterous of Alex's laughs and she moved to wrap her elder in a warm hug. "Good to see you, Gran-Gran."

"You as well, child. Here for the festivities?"

Alex's look over to where her sister was enthusiastically greeting Lucy and Susan, was pure adoration. "Mostly." Then her focus came back to Minerva. "I've news, but it can wait. Perhaps lunch tomorrow? I know you're busy."

"Alexandra, I will always make time for you, be it business or family."

With a blinding smile and a last hug, Alex returned to Kara's side. "This is our pal, James Olsen," she introduced the tall man who stood beside her faithful compatriots. Then she leaned in to whisper into her sister's ear. "I brought him along for you. Unless you'd rather throw your lot in with the lovebirds."

Kara elbowed her in the ribs. Hard. Then went to introduce herself to this James and maybe even hopelessly flirt a little. Lucy and Susan seemed relieved at the teasing, for they were a new thing and still nervous about how their changed dynamic affected the indestructible trio they'd made with Alex since they were first years. 

Kara's moving off was the signal for Winn to attack with his own hug, making Alex laugh. "You've grown, little brother!"

"Did you bring me a present?"

"I did! But after the dance. And no amount of pouting will make me change my mind. If I can resist Kara, I can certainly resist you!"

"Awww!"

The excitable Hufflepuff in their odd group of friends yammered on excitedly as they were all carried like boats on the tide into the Great Hall. As always, it was resplendent with candles and the illusion of softly falling snow and the eaves and sills draped in ice. Even as Alex magicked away her cloak and warm layers and gear to be stored until later, an exquisitely beautiful cloak draped around a slim figure caught her eye. The fine, melancholy blue-grey wool and its fur trim floated away to reveal a embroidered gown in the same shade, only in heavy silk. The fancy trim and elaborate stitching of patterns that almost seemed to dance fell away from notice as the figure turned and Alex blinked.

"Owlet," she breathed and found herself drawn as though by a more intimate magic. 

The nickname had stuck her very first night at Hogwarts, her unruly dark hair still ruffled from the Sorting Hat. The little mouse of a girl was tiny and painfully quiet, with big green eyes blinking behind spectacles as she tried to take it all in. She'd clung to Kara's hand like a lifeline, the girls having become fast friends on the train ride in, a friendship that had never faded, no matter the smaller girl's feared last name. Alex had liked the girl enough, admired her tenacity and intelligence and loyalty. Some days she'd seemed such an odd choice for Gryffindor, but then again, so had Kara. But certainly no more than her own Slytherin house!

This elegant and beautiful young woman was a far cry from the shy little waif Alex remembered. That said, there were still hints of that past in her bashful smile. "Alex. Hi."

"You… you look beautiful," Alex said a little dumbly and part of her marveled how Lena blushed prettily. After a thoughtful moment, Lena seemed to brace herself and step in closer. Hands half raised in expectation of an awkward hug, instead Alex found herself watching those familiar eyes while Lena fiddled with her little bowtie. 

"So, um, so do you. And so festive. This tie is, well, maybe adorable isn't the word, but, no, really, it's adorable."

"As it's shaped like holly leaves with jingle bells for berries and is trailing ribbons down my chest, yes, I'll agree to adorable," Alex teased gently, completely charmed with this new version of her sister's dearest friend.

Lena's hands had drifted off to the lapels of the fitted vest in an elaborate paisley brocade of blood red against a black field. A formal black shirt and skin-tight riding pants made the rich holiday shades pop and made Alex stand out in the crowd. The contrast to Lena's elaborate open gown with its fancy clasps over demure white lace was eye-catching.

Realizing she was being bold, Lena flushed again, taking her hands away, startled when a hand was gently caught. Those verdant eyes jerked from her caught hand back to Alex's warm, hopeful gaze.

"I remember you being a good dancer. I've been practicing. Might I show you?"

The graduated Slytherin had been off doing who-knew-what for the Ministry of Magic for many months now, and Lena supposed she ought to be in fear for her feet. But Alex has always been athletic, charming and a star on the pitch and with her fists both. Frankly, the younger teen would do just about anything for the crush she had harbored since she had been a shy eleven year old.

Even if she did get her toes trod on, it would be worth it for a dance.

Curling a hand around Lena's back and scooping up her right hand, Alex shifted her weight effortlessly and Lena fell in with the movement. It started out a simple waltz to the music wafting through the air and grew to a whirling riot of fast motion that left them both giggling and breathless.

"Where did you learn that?" Lena marveled, still catching her breath, caught up in strong arms and the feel of Alex's warmth under her hands and against her breasts and belly.

"There's a lot of things I've learned away from school." There was a thrum of something in Alex's voice that had Lena ducking her eyes away, swallowing hard. She was overwhelmed, but certainly not in a bad way. Clearing her throat, Alex stepped a bit away, once more pulling Lena into dancing, their movements slower now. "One of the researchers in the training group I've been with is an avid dancer and I figured some civilized skills couldn't hurt."

"I suppose that will please your, ummm, Gran-Gran."

The hesitant use of the familial term made Alex laugh warmly and rub Lena's back in lieu of a hug that would tangle their feet. "Careful there, fifth year, one might think you're being bold," Alex teased gently, her smile warm. "It looks good on you."

Lena had always been both attracted to and appalled by the sister's willfulness and informality. Wild sparks the both of them, hot flames to warm the coldness that had shaped her, they always helped her find her own strength. 

Across the room, Kara paused at the refreshments table to watch her sister and best friend. She hardly recognized them, Alex dressed in big city finery with her stylish ruff of shortened hair, Lena blossomed into a tall, shapely young woman, blushing in her arms.

They really were all growing up.

"Hard to believe that's really itty bitty Lena," Lucy was suddenly saying right beside her. "With legs and boobs and that beaming smile." 

Something sympathetic in Susan's little smile made Kara feel like a kid again. "Owlet certainly had a busy summer and fall growing into herself. Even Winn seems like he's a foot taller. How are you doing, Little Danvers?"

They'd always called her that, even as she outgrew her sister by inches and the familiarity of it was soothing. Alex must have said something funny because her grin was delighted as Lena laughed.

"They're really beautiful together, aren't they? I'd never noticed. Well, maybe I did, but I didn't really get it. Lena's had a crush on Alex since we met, but I never gave it much thought, because Alex is amazing, but she's my sister. But she's really pretty, isn't she? And charming. Both of them are. Huh. I don't know if I'm delighted or sorta grossed out."

She completely missed the long look Lucy and Susan exchanged behind her back before they set aside their glasses of pumpkin juice and grabbed their younger pal to whirl her, squealing, into a silly dance. Winn was happy to join in, as did some friends still in school, Alex and Lena gravitating to them, unable to stay away.

So it was amongst the friends, as though no time had passed and no distances had lain between them. Except that Kara was as clingy as she had ever been as a child, there was a stranger in their midst and… Alex and Lena were thoroughly distracted with each other. They all broke apart and came together in different patterns until at last they came to rest at a seating area beneath the illusion of a whirling snowfall by the great hearth. There were comfy seats and a few tables, even an overstuffed couch that Alex had somehow commandeered. 

Rocky, the green phoenix trimmed in yellow and blue, had been waiting for proper attention from his second favorite person in all the world and happily swooped in to greet Lena. When he alighted on the back of the couch, she curtsied to him with a giggle and proceeded to smooth over his feathers as she had done since that first day meeting him years ago.

"Oh, you poor dear, you're looking molty. Would you like to come stay with me for a bit until you're feeling your best again?" Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial mock-whisper as she gently stroked his eye-ridges just the way he liked. "I promise to spoil you completely."

"That would certainly give the old boy an excellent Christmas!" Alex teased as she leaned her head back to watch the pair. "You always were his favorite."

Lena could feel the warmth in her cheeks at the compliment.

"Presents!" Winn crowed, as eager as a child, squirming in his seat with anticipation and making Alex laugh at him. 

"Alright then, little brother, I suppose I've made you wait long enough. Let me get-- oh, Susan, you always know when I need you! Seriously, I don't know how you do that."

After delivering some sort of leather rucksack to her friend, a smirking Susan went and wrapped an affectionate arm around Lucy, who leaned into the embrace. 

"Did you get it? Did you get it?"

There was no repressing Winn and Alex sighed dramatically as she unbuckled the backpack to rifle through it. "Yes, Winn, I got it. I lost that bet fair and square. One Gulitty's Stellar Clockwork with authentic dragonfire inner workings. And the damn thing cost me a fortune too."

It was an elegant wooden box Alex hadn't even bothered to wrap, merely stuck a bow on. With a whoop, Winn fell on the thing like a starving dog, tearing it open and lifting the device out to stare at it in unabashed awe. Knowing that they'd lost him for the moment, Alex dug out a festively wrapped gift to offer her eager sister.

"I've set aside a whole bucket of galleons to spoil you at Honeydukes, glutton, but in the meantime, here."

"Oh, it's heavy," Kara marveled at the box handed to her and ripped gleefully at the festive paper. Her eyes went as big as saucers at the yellow carton revealed. "Oh my gosh, Alex! Where did you get Butterfingers?"

With a speed unusual even for the wizarding world, Kara flipped open the box and unwrapped one of the candy bars within to chomp into it, her expression pure bliss.

"I ended up over on the Muggle side of San Francisco a few weeks ago, since Susan had a cold and I'm the only other one with any clue about how to behave around them. So I got you a whole box!"

Then there was only one of their numbers still a student at the school and Alex found herself feeling self-conscious about her final gifts. Still, she patted the seat beside her and Lena stepped around the couch to sit, their thighs not quite touching. 

"Since you've an actual palate, unlike the bottomless pit," Kara didn't even acknowledge her sister's tease, torn between saving the last bit of candy bar or going in for a second one. "I was more discerning with your treat."

Yet another box came out of the rucksack, large enough that Alex had to wiggle it a bit to come loose. Her smile was mischievous at Lena's clear curiosity. 

"It's a Bottomless Backpack. Chamber's big enough to climb into and has been amazingly handy more than once. All sorts of goodies in here, but this one is yours."

Next to the bow was the word 'Ghirardelli's' and a festive smattering of holiday imagery. Inside, Lena found neat rows of smaller packages, each in a different color. Poking at them, she read 'peppermint', 'cinnamon spice', 'honey and sea salt' and '70% cocoa' before she clued in.

"Oh, they're chocolate!"

Lena pulled out the one marked 'cinnamon spice' and fiddled at the folded over edge until it came loose and she could dig out a single, brightly wrapped little square.

"I had excellent shopping in San Francisco. The locals were insistent this was the best chocolate in the city, and while it won't do any magical tricks, it certainly smells fantastic. Nearly filched a few myself."

Lena flashed her a smile and bit into the fragrant treat, her expression pleased, gone surprised and then faintly alarmed.

"What's wrong?"

"It's hot!"

The way Alex's face fell was sweet and a bit pitiful. Lena never could resist the puppy eyes from either sister.

"Not in a bad way, just surprisingly. Taste."

It was a strange moment of intimacy, the corner-bitten square of chocolate still bearing Lena's teeth marks, pressed to Alex's lower lip. The puppy eyes went curious and a little smoky and Lena felt her heart lurch, pleasantly alarming, against her ribs. With a second corner bit off, Alex's face went through the same reactions.

"It is hot! Like a good, spicy curry. Delicious!"

Remembering they had company, the pair leaned away from their private little moment, Alex clearing her throat and grinning at her sister.

"And there's a screamer spell on that box, Kara. If you touch it, it will fill your lofty tower with obscenities. And don't be giving Lena your puppy eyes, either! I promise to stock you up well with treats."

"I promise to sneak you one, Kara." Lena staged-whispered and Kara lit up with delight from her little pout.

"You are the best, best friend anyone ever had!"

Muttering direly, Alex was rummaging around the sack, one arm gone deep, and finally pulled the whole thing over her head where it wiggled a bit as though it were a snake trying to eat her. With a muffled noise of triumph, she emerged with another gift, three largish books bound up in green ribbon.

"I remember we had a fascinating conversation some time ago, about automobiles and Muggle transportation. You were so intrigued by how bridges might be built and look, I found you a book! Actually, three books, because once I got to looking for bridge construction, I stumbled over antique automobiles and diesel trains."

Alex was very pleased with herself and Lena only blinked, her voice edged in wonderment. "You remembered all of that?"

The sweet fondness made Lena choke up a bit.

"Of course I did."

Again, they had to shake off the moment of intimacy, Lena pulling the ribbon free while Alex spotted another target and sent out a loud hail. 

"Gran-Gran! Uh, I mean Professor McGonagall."

Minerva drifted over, her expression wry. "I had you well trained at one point, Alexandra."

"Sure you did! But that was a whole half a year ago! With all I've done, that might as well be forever!"

Minerva sighed over her wild American great-granddaughters, but her eyes were fond. "Honestly, gallivanting around the world studying dangerous creatures."

"You're the one who gave me a phoenix for my fourth birthday!"

"Yes well, you needed a pet and that poor hatchling a home."

"And you like to mess with Dad."

"Alexandra! I would do no such thing." Twitching her waistcoat as though straightening it in an outraged huff, Minerva smirked faintly. "Besides, that would be your grandmother."

Well aware of the hellion that Alex took after, the whole group guffawed, and Alex's exasperated affection was an accurate echo of her forbearers. "Sure Gran-Gran. I brought you a present!"

With a flourish of her wand, a large bell jar atop a wooden base squeezed out of the rucksack. Inside was mounted a small branch with a cat-sized dragon skeleton trapped in a lifelike pose.

"My research group was out in the American badlands and we stumbled over a hellcat after a clutch of dragon eggs. So I gave the mum a hand and we saved all but this poor fellow. I asked the mum nicely and she let me keep the remains. Particularly once I tracked down more of the stolen eggs and returned them. So now you have a skeleton!"

Alex was clearly so very pleased with herself, beaming at her blinking elder. Because somehow this wild child could be blasé about helping a wild dragon defend her clutch and then apparently befriend said dragon.

Using levitation to float over the bell jar, Minerva delicately touched the heavy glass, admiring the tiny, perfectly aligned bones, put into place one by one with just a bit of carefully applied magic. "It's exquisite, Alex, thank you. I've never had anything like it. A North American Sand Striker, if I know my dragons?"

"Got it in one! I think this might be a smaller strain then the ones further north, though not as small as…"

Her voice trailed off and she held up a finger in the classic 'wait' gesture. Yanking the bag back over her head, there was some shuffling and muttering and the sound of something falling over before Alex sheepishly emerged with a tightly woven picnic hamper in her hands. 

"Oh damn. I really thought I gave these eggs back. Uh, Gran-Gran? Do you know if Hagrid's around?"

With the rescued dragon eggs in their magically-warmed hamper in hand and the beautiful bell jar floating after her, Minerva was off to find their resident creature expert.

"Least they didn't hatch in the bag," Lucy broke up the quiet moment with her quip and the whole group cracked up.

That was as good a cue as any for the gang to grab their things and head back into the night. But Lena surprised Alex, shrugged halfway into her winter coat, with the press of soft, rouged lips to the corner of her mouth. Blinking, she stared into the warm green gaze and took in the flush making them all the greener.

"Mistletoe," Lena whispered and Alex's eyes traitorously flicked upward, giving the younger girl a moment to flee.


	2. Christmas Day

By the time everyone gathered in the Gryffindor dorm, a dozen mattresses had been swiped from the dorms and set in from of a nice, warm fire. There were always a gaggle of students still at the school, even for the Christmas holiday, and they had created their own traditions. Having no interest in a pumpkin seed spitting contest, Kara jumped on her sister the moment she trailed through the open door to the common room.

"Alex! I've had to share you all night! Let me steal you for a bit? Please?"

Even though it was inevitable that Alex would give into her little sister's begging, Kara poured in the pathetic puppy eyes.

"We could go flying?"

That was the perfect way to get Alex to light up with enthusiasm. After all, she'd been the finest quidditch player in the school for most of her seven years there. But a shyly smiling Lena approached with a voluminous armload of knitted yarn striped green and a soft gray.

"Here, Alex, your Christmas gift."

It began to slowly slither into loose folds of a scarf so long and bulky as to be almost comical. 

"I made it for you, since you were always terrible about keeping warm."

Alex had to hand her things off to a smirking Susan so that she could wrestle the great thing into submission. Twisted loosely once, then twice around her neck, it became a manageable waist length. Rucked up to her ears, the scarf made Alex look like a cat trapped in a sock, but her smile was adoring.

"I love it. Thank you."

"I told you she would, Lena. Now, come on, Alex!"

There was no fighting Kara's strength when she applied it and the sisters were gone in a flash. A little whistle had the broom jerking loose from Susan's grip and whipping out the door. Wanting to join them as best she could, Lena raced down the steps to the girls dorm to watch the two of them race into the dark skies. 

Kara was nearly unique in all the world, the magical accident that took her first family from her having also left her and her cousin with powers so wild as to even be extraordinary in the wizarding world. Not the least of which was to blithely ignore the rule of nature that things should fall to the ground.

Stretched full length, she was faster than any bludger and slowed up to let the streak of motion that was her sister catch up. Lena could almost hear their laughter as they swooped and darted among the tiny sparkles of snow in the moonlight. Their delight was a joy to witness, but Lena had never been a fan of flying, barely passing Madame Hooch's exasperated teaching. 

When Lena had lost her first family and been taken on by the Luthors, she had quickly wanted nothing more than the warmth the Danvers sisters showered on her years later. Oh, she had loved Lionel, even Lillian in her own way, and those few good years with Lex home on holidays…

Then Lex had slowly lost his mind even as she was getting ready for and then attending Hogwarts herself, fashioning himself the next He Who Shall Not Be Named. Had Lex been a bit older and wiser, had someone less decisive been in charge of the school than Minerva McGonagall, had Clark Kent not been about… he might have even succeeded. 

Yet, the sisters had never wavered on their defense of their friend, staring down even Clark's baleful wrath while Lena cowered behind them. As a Ward of the State, the Ministry was ever concerned with Lena's movements and future, but her close association with the Danvers reassured everyone. Including her. Though it did make for some spectacularly awkward family events to be sure.

Blinking away the memories, Lena startled to see that the skies were empty, shifting in the deep window well to press her face and hand to the glass. Drat them, she shrieked a little in surprise when their grinning faces popped up inches from her own, nearly sending her tumbling from her lofty perch. 

"Oh you!" she chided the sisters and their laughter carried clearly through the glass.

"Grab your coat and meet us outside!"

When had Lena ever been able to refuse either of them?

Quickly getting into her warmest coat and hat before stomping into her rabbit-fur-lined boots, Lena raced past the others and fled the tower. There would be a world of teasing later, but she hardly cared. All she saw was Alex's hand offered while the fancy broom hovered, Kara giggling and fluttering about higher up.

"Come on then, pretty lady, I'll take good care of you."

Alex was faintly startled when Lena hopped up, not to the back of the broom, but sidesaddle right in her lap. One hand wrapped around her waist under the wool riding coat and the other buried in the great scarf, Lena nestled in close. Alex had to tuck their heads close and hunch over her a bit protectively, in order to get her hands on the broom for better control. She found she didn't mind a bit.

"And here I thought you didn't like flying," Alex teased lightly and Lena merely gripped her tighter.

"I like anything with you."

The whisper against her ear brought on a shudder entirely unrelated to the cold night. 

Kara had shot ahead, wheeling and dipping wildly while Alex skimmed over the surface of the placid lake in deference to her passenger. "Owlet," she murmured, feeling Lena tighten her grip, press her face tighter to the side of her head and the folds of the scarf. "Lena. How had I never really noticed you before?"

Lena shivered at the gentle brush of Alex's hand over her back, as sweet as any kiss, or so she imagined. "You notice me."

Finally, Alex managed to coax Lena to let up on her grip enough so that she could try and catch the evasive green eyes with her own dark gaze. Cupping that strong jaw the younger girl had finally grown into, she stroked her thumb over a silky cheek. "No, never enough of you."

The moment was a weighty one, ripe with possibilities caught in the wisps of fog their intertwined breath made. 

Of course, that was when Kara dive-bombed, nearly scaring them clean off the slow-moving broom and sending herself into the icy water. "Come on, slowpokes! Race you!"

The intimate moment broken, the young couple shook off their distraction and Lena twisted to throw a leg over the broom and hunker down. "Well come on then, quidditch star, you've never backed down from a challenge in your life!"

Laughing, Alex pressed herself to Lena's back and urged the broom to climb a fast, steep angle. Squawking in surprise, Kara had to scramble to follow, having been distracted at trailing her fingers through the water's glassy surface.

Fully vertical now, and clipping along at a punishing speed, Alex braced her feet on the pegs of her Nimbus 5000 and felt the press of Lena's weight on her angled thighs. Their four hands clutched at the broomstick as the fine snow became a eye-watering blur.

The chilly punishment resulted in their exploding from the clouds a hairsbreadth ahead of a protesting Kara. 

"I wasn't ready!"

"You snooze you lose, sister of mine!"

But Lena barely heard them as she gawked at the sheer magnitude of the spectacle around them. Like a snowy terrain, the tops of the clouds were a rippled carpet gleaming white and silver in the moonlight so intense as to nearly rival the sun. The stars were a million glittering diamonds in the winter-clear sky behind that intense, nearly full moon.

"Wow."

The wonder in her voice stopped the sister's playful bickering so that they too could appreciate the view.

"It's beautiful," Alex said, taking the chance to lean in and nuzzle a kiss onto Lena's cheek while she twisted the voluminous scarf to entwine them both. "You're like ice and I'm no better. Kara, we need to go in and warm up! Brace yourself, dear Owlet, this is going to be a chilly descent."

They were both shaking with cold by the time the ground rose up. Alex angling the broom straight into the castle and weaving through the moving staircases to get them to Gryffindor's door as quickly as possible. Yes, Gran-Gran would tear strips from her hide later, but she was too cold to care just then.

With dexterous control over the broom despite her mostly numb hands, Alex threaded them through the strange entry tunnel to the Gryffindor common room and landed lightly. Kara zipped off to the sounds of protests and, "no flying the tower!", in search of some blankets.

"Here, let me help…" Alex offered as the pair wrestled with cold-shaky hands to release themselves from the determined embrace of the scarf.

"I guess I did get a little carried away."

Abruptly, they realized how close they stood and a little flare of light above them was revealed to be a sprig of the infamous tree weed conjured up. From entrance of the short entry foyer, Susan gave them a long, significant look and tucked away her wand to divert away a fretting Kara.

"Come sit with me a moment and dry off. They're fine now and will come cuddle you pronto."

"Mistletoe," Alex whispered, drawn closer to the beauty her younger friend had become. Lena wavered in closer, wanting so badly for this first kiss to be with this remarkable young woman she had mooned over since she was just a child herself.

"Mistletoe," she whispered back and they leaned in close. A brush of cold noses, the flutter of damp eyelashes, and their lips met, sweet and soft. 

Alex had kissed girls before, done even more than kissing, not that she would tell! But this kiss was different. This kiss was the sharp burst of fireworks, the rush of wind in hot summer skies, depthless courage, fierce loyalty, and that irrepressible giggle.

Lena had dreamt of this kiss, whiled away in girlish fantasies now suddenly real, but so much better. This kiss was the closed-in damp of an ancient forest, the warmth of an autumnal bonfire beneath the stars, cozy comfort and adoration, a promise of 'you are one of mine, forever'.

But even the best and most unexpected of Christmas gifts must end and the pair stared into each other's eyes, lips almost brushing.

"Miss Luthor," Alex murmured with a wide grin. "Might I call on you sometime?"

For a moment, Lena only blinked, well, owlishly, before her smile was like sunshine and she gripped Alex tight. "Oh, do you mean it? I would love nothing more."

Returning the fierce hug, Alex breathed deep of her scents and murmured, "Merry Christmas, Lena."

"Merry Christmas, Alex." 

 

\----

It was a rollicking blow out in the Gryffindor Tower where they stole most of the mattresses to pile up by the big fireplace and talk and horse about until they all finally dropped off. Lena woke first, curled in a little ball with her head tucked into Kara's side. The way a pile of mattresses were stacked haphazardly and three deep, it was no wonder she had a stiff neck!

Sitting up, she startled a bit as Winn moaned from the prodding of her toes, tucked under his leg for warmth. Goodness, nearly every student left at Hogwarts for the holidays must have packed in here! Turning back around, she froze at the sight of Alex's messy hair propped up on Kara's back from the other side of Mount Mattress.

There'd been more kisses, some sweet and shy, and a few that brought a quick, hot flush to Lena's cheeks. Even the memory made her tingle wonderfully. Everything she'd ever hoped for in her wanting Alex so badly, was true and so much more.

Still, memories would have to wait. What time was it anyway? With the great clock reading nearly one in the afternoon, Lena boggled at how they all could have slept through the noise of its midday chiming. Removing the sloppy silencing spell had the clock belting out all its repressed chimes, loud enough to shake everyone awake in its outrage.

By the time the din subsided, they were halfway to setting the tower to rights and gathering their things in haste.

"Come on, Kara! If you want to shop for your sweets at Honeydukes, shake a leg! We can't be later than six in the morning back home or we'll be breaking tradition! Besides, I'm not sure we have enough floo powder."

With plenty of space in Alex's fancy backpack, the students were able to bring what they wished, shoving it all in there, willy-nilly. Then they dressed warmly in their Christmas finery and were grabbing brooms to be off.

Lena was so glad to be caught about the waist before she could grab her own transportation she was really rather not fond of.

"Ride with me?" Alex coaxed, lips behind her ear making her want to swoon.

"As if you have to ask."

It was a beautiful day, icy and clear. They buzzed through Hogsmeade and rushed through their candy shopping, breaking off when Susan triumphantly appeared with a proper tin of floo powder. They trooped off to the nearest fireplace in the network and Kara went first, Alex hot on her heels. As usual, Kara tripped and fell as she zipped into her childhood living room, Alex's hand on her collar keeping her upright. Something about the floo network always disoriented her. Everyone figured it was some strange conflict with her wild magics.

Grinning at one another, the sisters threw their things to the couch and raced up the stairs, hollering for their parents as though they were children once more. It at least gave Eliza and Jeremiah a few moment's warning to brace themselves as they were leapt on.

And so Christmas began in earnest.

Lena had been coming to the Danvers on school breaks for so long that the adults took forever to notice that things had changed. There was little hint of it in the chaos of breakfast and presents and catching up. Eliza harangued Alex for so little communication, the shock of the short hair, of the clear expense of the fine broom and backpack and the fancy things she still wore. Though, eventually, she was placated with hugs and a beautifully preserved flower from some exotic locale Alex was deliberately evasive about.

Lucy and Susan, like Lena and Winn, were staples about the Danvers household and always willing to help out. Which allowed the sisters to shirk at every opportunity, sneaking off to visit their childhood haunts, climb trees, lay out on the roof in the sunshine. Lena desperately wanted to join them, but knew they needed time to themselves. 

The smell of good things cooking drew them back to catch the tail end of Susan and Lucy regaling the group with a rollicking tale of school shenanigans.

"I didn't know about that one…" Kara said unsurely and Lucy grinned her most wicked grin.

"Kara, if I had a horse hair for every scheme and shenanigan you've no knowledge of, I could conjure you a hippogriff!"

"But you let me along on your adventures!"

Smiling sweetly, Alex drew her pouting sister to the couch to squeeze in. "Kara, my dearest, beloved, sweet sister, we took you along on the adventures that, when you inevitably blurted out the secret, would only get us in a little bit of trouble."

While Kara gaped, the three Slytherin graduates high-fived one another before dog-piling the younger girl in a group hug that might have suffocated anyone else.

There were more stories while they waited for Christmas dinner, bellies grumbling and mouths watering.

"Being passingly familiar with Muggle culture has been far more handy than I expected, though obviously, we'd rather send Susan." Alex was saying. "We even got our training group to mostly call us the A-Team, much to Lucy's annoyance."

From the kitchen, Lucy made an irritated noise so dragonlike that everyone laughed. "You and your stupid Muggle references, Danvers! Stop it or I'll turn your head 'round and leave it that way!" 

"Again," Susan muttered quietly and Grandmother Kiyoko cracked up as she was the only one close enough to catch it.

"Hey, you were the one who fell in love with a Muggleborn, pureblood," Alex mocked right back and Lucy appeared around the corner, her expression an impossible mix of irritation, vulnerability and adoration. 

"Yes, I did, didn't I?" Setting aside her cup, she curled up on her girlfriend and gave Alex a glare too bright-eyed to be authentic. "At least I finally got you idiots off that horrid, 'The good, the bad, and the ugly'."

The larger girls just sniggered wickedly, but Susan's hand was gentle in its caressing. "You're just annoyed that we insisted you be, 'the ugly'. Which you are anything but. However, you do certainly have the meanest temper."

Lucy sniffed disdainfully, but her little grin was pleased. 

"Do you girls have any other plans?" Jeremiah asked and Susan's smile was pleased.

"We'll be visiting my family later. There's a portkey less than a mile away and we can walk. Could we leave our things here?"

"Of course you can, Susan."

No one needed to ask about the Lane family, for Lucy had waited years and been happily ecstatic to ditch her family the morning she'd turned eighteen. Their hateful beliefs about purebloods and muggleborns were something neither daughter wanted anything to do with.

The Danvers elders had been watching the fascinating dynamics in the teens, the established new coupling of Lucy and Susan, the way something had clearly changed between Alex and Lena. It simmered during a happy, gregarious meal polished off to the final slice of ham and the various parties scattering. Kara and Winn retreated to go play one of her many games in the old room she once shared with Alex as small children, Susan and Lucy left, Jeremiah and his mothers fell asleep on the couch, too stuffed to move.

And Alex found herself helping her mother clean up, knowing putting off the questions would only foster resentment.

"So, is something going on between you and Lena?"

Ah, her mother, a Gryffindor through and through. Smirking, Alex magicked more of the mess to where it was supposed to go. 

"A bit, yes. We were trapped beneath the mistletoe and one thing led to another."

"Isn't this a bit sudden?"

"Looking back? No, it's really not."

Still, Eliza wanted to press, she always wanted to press, never really understanding her complicated, enigmatic daughter. She had been the only one not shocked by the news of the Sorting Hat calling Slytherin for Alex. Somehow, it fit the traits that made her stand out in her family.

"Still, she's so young…"

"Mom, she's sixteen. I'm perfectly happy, delighted even, to indulge in good old-fashioned dating. It'll be weird enough will my being gone so often. You needn't worry about us being inappropriate."

Alex didn't need to roll her eyes on that final word, Eliza could hear it quite clearly. 

"It'll be alright, you'll see. I've liked her for so long that feeling more feels very… natural."

From the living room, Lena listened with baited breath. Truthfully, she hadn't really thought about the reality of being courted by Alex, caught up in the romanticism of it all. Could she be interesting enough to keep the charismatic older girl interested through what would surely be some very long separations?

Would the time apart snuff out the wonderful little flame between them?

As though conjured by her self-doubting thoughts, Alex stepped into the living room and her curious expression softened to something sweet and adoring. "There you are. Would you like to go for a walk?"

Swallowing hard, Lena latched onto the offered arm with a desperate grip. "That sounds wonderful."

For some time, they walked in a companionable quiet, the ocean crashing and humming a love song to them. Slowly, Lena relaxed from the fear of rejection and abandonment that her family had scarred her with, her grip softening until she was holding Alex's hand.

"You do think we could work?"

The soft question made Alex pause and turn, letting Lena's hand loose to wrap both arms around her. Delighted in being able to touch, Lena draped her arms around Alex's neck, toying with the tickly strands of hair.

"I do. It will be weird and entail a great deal of letters when I can't come to you, but I will find a way to make time for you. That, I promise."

The quiet intensity of the statement was even more convincing then the words, setting Lena's heart racing. "And there's only you for me, Alex. That, I promise. Come to me when you can."

And they sealed it with a kiss in the Christmas moonlight.


	3. Three Years Later

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the massive block of exposition at the beginning here. A simple memory turned into a great many details made up on the spot.

Eliza loved her work with the various magical agencies around the world, but sometimes, it was good to just come home to roost for a bit. 

Bogun muttered something filthy to himself while he chased about the dust mice and Eliza cringed as she always did. She was fairly certain most of Alex's foul language had come from the odd little house elf. 

Shaking her head, Eliza looked back over the Pacific Ocean, her eye drawn to the memorial as it always was.

No matter how much she might want to forget it.

The magic laboratory that had been little more than an excuse for Jeremiah and his friends to hang out in, had stood there once. Eliza liked the El twins all right, but there was an arrogance to them, a recklessness, that had never sat right with her. It happened sometimes with pureblood families. Their wives were much more level-headed, Lara in particular, whom Eliza had adored like a sister. Alura, a twin herself and as pureblood as her husband had been a odd sort, standoffish but not unfriendly. It was as though she simply didn't know how to be friendly. Better that than Astra's coldness though. That white streak was as much a scar on the old-before-her-time Auror as any flaw of the skin, but after what she had been through, who could blame her?

More importantly was how they all doted on the children. Dour toddler Kal and his sunny baby cousin Kara were the center of that little clan's devotions. Thank everything good and sacred in all the lands that the accident had spared them. It had torn a hole in the earth that nearly ripped out the cliff above the sea and collapsed half of the Danvers house. 

Only a half mile away on their way to Alex's school play, the Danvers had turned back to gawk in horror at the devastation. The children screaming had led Eliza and Jeremiah to the cousins huddled under the pathetic remains of who they realized later, was Astra herself. The evils she'd fought her entire adult life were never enough to take her out. But she had died a proud death protecting the beloved children of her clan. 

No matter how much dirt was piled into the hole, it somehow kept bleeding out through the cracks in the cliff. Finally, Jeremiah planted a quintet of oak trees along the cliff edge, the largest and strongest right in the crater itself. They were the perfect counter to the negative magics anchored to that place and grew unnaturally tall and broad, anchoring the cliff solid as stone.

Despite the wild magics that had saturated Kara and Kal like sponges in water, the Danvers would not leave them to others. Kara fit in, but Kal had never been happy with them. Not helped that he and Alex fought like angry hellcats. He was too aware of what had happened there, the lingering magic of the explosion that took his family from him. Thankfully, some other friends of both families took him on, let him take on a new name to distance himself from his pain. 

Kara had not even been two years old and quickly remembered little but being a Danvers. She loved them and the trees that were a final link to her first family. 

As though conjured up by Eliza's memories, there was a whuff-thud-giggle of Kara's usual graceless arrival by fireplace.

"Hi Mom! Give me a sec to clean this rug…"

Looking around the corner revealed Kara still brushing herself off and merrily scowling at the Kara-shaped sooty imprint on said rug. Rocky was perched on the back of the couch, looking quite unimpressed with her.

"I never seem to get the hang of this," she laughed and shrugged when a quick wave of Eliza's wand had the mess gone in a flash. "Missed you!"

A hug with Kara was not unlike the most loving of strangleweed and just as pointless to fight against.

"Good to see you too, Sweetie. Had enough of winter in London?"

"Ugh, yes. Another year and I ought to be able to set up shop where I want. You're sure my taking over the south side of the house is alright?"

"I look forward to having at least one of my daughters close again."

"Oh! Speaking of daughters."

To Eliza's amusement, Kara turned on Rocky, hands on her hips just as she always done to mimic Alex. 

"Okay, you mean thing, will you finally let me have the satchel now? He's been glaring and pecking my hand for a month if I get anywhere near the thing."

In fact, that's exactly what he did when she approached, crest and feathers fluffing up and screeching loudly enough to nearly drown out Alex's voice. "What part of 'the whole family on Christmas' did you not understand, Kara?"

"I hate waiting!" Kara wailed and threw herself onto the sofa to sulk dramatically. At least she hadn't broken the poor thing this time.

Eliza was just happy that a message had come. The last anyone had seen Alex and Lena was last Christmas. The family get together had become a grand party for the young couple as they went off on some long-term research project in the wilds of some far-flung corner of the world. One more day wouldn't kill anyone.

The next day, the family gathered, even Minerva. When Eliza had contacted her about the mystery package strapped to Rocky with protections on it until they all gathered, she wasn't about to stay away. Sandy and Kiyoko were the last to arrive, Jeremiah jumping up to greet his mothers with hugs and kisses.

"Now can we have it?" Kara begged Rocky and Alex's nervously laughing voice spoke out.

"You might want a drink for this. Okay, here we go."

Rocky delicately picked at the strap across his body Eliza hadn't even noticed. From across his back came a leather tube satchel that showed the markings of Lena's painstaking craftswomanship. When Kara gleefully grabbed it and threw the latch, a heavy sheaf of papers leapt out and bowed deeply at the room. Shaping itself into the perfect shape of being held and read, the spell cast on the papers played out Alex clearing her throat and beginning to speak

"A report for the family, by Alex and Lena."

"You sound ridiculous," Lena teased in some distant place and they could easily picture her warm grin. The whole tribe of Danvers and beyond had always liked the girl and she was good for Alex's wild energy.

"I'm nervous! Okay, everybody, we're really sorry we've been away, and we're really going to try and get there on Christmas, we promise, but things have been crazy and we tried to get it all in these pages to tell the whole stories."

"Breathe darling."

"Right, right. Whew. Okay, here we go. So, we've been in a mountain range I'm not yet authorized to reveal. We camped out for a month doing plain ol' research when one night the craziest thing happened. There was something invisible sorta playing with us. It was a little alarming at first, but whatever it was didn't mean any harm. So we started doing our best to entertain whatever it was. It took a few days of tossing small objects and the fire flaring up at unpredictable moments, but Lena finally saw them. Go ahead babe."

The family smiled at the slavish adoration in Alex's voice as she handed over the story to Lena.

"Oh goodie! So, I had gotten up just before dawn because I was craving tea and decided that a bath would be more fun. There was a lovely little spot nearby that a hot springs kept hot and a little waterfall kept topped off. Alex swore to me later that something shook and scratched at the tent to wake her. Naturally, she joined me and well… we were being… friendly," the clan scoffed as one entity, "and it must have enticed our strange little playmates into revealing themselves. Certainly not the worst way I've had the mood broken."

"Yeah, still really sorry about that, love."

"Forgiven, darling. So, scattered among the wet stones and the reflections of the arriving sunlight, were tiny little dragons! There must have been a good dozen of them, clear as glass and smaller than cats. Stunningly beautiful little things that we're desperate to keep from being trapped by people. So you'll have to forgive our not revealing where we are."

Alex's recorded murmur of agreement was echoed in her gathered relatives. Her voice picked up the thread.

"It took a few more days for the littles to fully reveal themselves, and the photos don't do them justice, but here you go."

One of the pages leapt out and blew up to many times its size, revealing a loose, rocky, bare terrain beneath a cold blue sky. Like reflections in water, small creatures flashed against the dark stones, a touch of shape an iridescence revealing them.

"So, they wanted us to go with them, and the weather was as warm as it was probably going to get, so we packed up camp and went along. They took us to a cave that led to a whole lost land. It was so amazing! Every dragon in a hundred miles visited us! There were a few aggressive adolescent males, but the big females chased them off like a pack of furies! It was awesome! Shook the whole mountain top. There were even a couple that were really old and smart and took a shine to us. If I gave them a list, they'd go to the local village and bring us supplies. After awhile, the shopkeepers hand even stopped shaking!"

There was a long pause then, no one certain what to say.

"That's it?" Kara said disbelievingly, not impressed with another photo of an even more beautiful section of stark mountaintop, only this one impossibly covered in trees and shrubs and dragons. "All the drama was for that? Sheesh. What is it with her and dragons anyway."

As though Alex could hear her, the letter continued speaking then. "But there's more. There's some crazy magics here, but it took a few months to figure it all out."

"My randomly setting fire to things was the first indicator," Lena added in wryly and Alex scoffed a gentle laugh.

"I needed a haircut anyway. Besides, the dragons thought it was hilarious." Alex blew out a hard breath and her voice was subdued. "Okay, I guess there's no easy way to do this. Here."

The room went dead silent at the third photo, tilted at a slightly drunken angle, the beak of one of the little crystalline dragons just peering around the corner of the shot. The young couple stood side by side, Alex's arm around Lena, both of them grinning fit to burst. And the little bundle cradled in a tired-looking Lena's arms was definitely a baby.

"So, umm, meet Alexandra Danvers the fourth. Proof that Lena is the dragon's favorite. I guess we better finally get married, huh?"

That finally reminded Eliza to breathe, inhaling a choked noise of utter and complete shock. The howler she was going to send that insane child of hers was going to singe her ears off!

But… a grandchild.

"Look, Mom," Alex's voice was going on. "How was I supposed to know the cute little crystal dragons had some weird fertility magics? Particularly without us knowing about it? I remember Gran and Obasan(1) regaling us with all the hassle of having Dad and have never heard of a lesbian couple just spontaneously getting pregnant, magic or no magic!" She cleared her throat and the paper rustled once again. "Anyway, so yes, the mysterious dragons. We can only figure it was them somehow, and us being on their hatching grounds. And did they loooooove Lena, particularly once she was knocked up! We had to stay put the whole pregnancy, because we didn't know if the baby would be safe! And we'll get published for sure with all our observations!"

"Besides," Lena broke in with a tone so dry it could turn water to fog. "The dragons wouldn't let us leave. We think because they had accepted us and were waiting for an egg to add to their hatching grounds. It was quite the stir at how we people did things, let me tell you."

"We have a bet whether or not junior will have some sort of dragon affinity. Y'know, since they somehow helped conceive her!" 

Yet another photo whirled out, Alex cradling the child with the most adoring look on her face.

"She's amazing, Mom."

The apoplectic look on Eliza's face faded at the softness in her eldest's voice.

"I understand a lot of things now that I didn't before."

When Sandy's voice broke into the still-stunned silence, her tone was unruffled. "Well, Ki, you were right. I guess I owe you fifty galleons."

And the gathering dissolved into chaos.

 

\----

Outside, in the cool evening of a California Christmas Eve, the happy couple stood and listened to the anarchy inside. They were pretty sure they heard Eliza's "I would have really liked to have warned Lena!" and Jeremiah's half-laugh of, "I'm not getting all my memos!" followed up by Kara wailing, "why didn't they tell me?"

"Guess that's our cue," Lena said gently and Alex blinked before looking away from the house. Alex could laugh in the face of a ravening dragon, climb a mountain effortlessly or duel with pure evil and spit in its eye, but she looked truly terrified in that moment. 

A long, sweet, involved kiss brought her back to herself, body and breath easing.

"Better, my love?"

"What would I ever do without you?"

As pleased as always by the adoration, Lena gave Alex a last kiss and smoothed her hand over the bundle carried snugly within an oversized fur vest strapped around that lanky torso.

When the door suddenly opened, the whole family jumped in alarm, but stayed any violent reactions when they saw Lena standing there with a small smile. The great welling up of energy was halted by her raised hand. "If you'll all give us a moment, the baby is sleeping and it's been a very long trek home."

On her heels stepped Alex, expression wary, hair roughly gown out to just barely start covering her ears. Lena grabbed the backpack as she shrugged it off and followed her inside. With Lena's arm around her, Alex swallowed down the nervousness of having her entire clan staring in disbelief at her.

"So, umm, meet Lexie."

Behind the big buttons in the fur vest was cradled the baby, slung close to her other mother's chest. She stirred and whined as Alex gently loosened the sling so her small weight lay across a strong forearm.

"You first, Mom."

Head aching from all the conflicting emotions, Eliza approached and stroked over the dark, downy hair. "She's beautiful."

"So you're not mad?"

"I'm furious. But she's worth the shock."

 

Obasan(1)= Japanese for grandmother

 

PS: Because it amuses me, Alexandra the 4th was born November 1st on the other side of the international date line, so she's a Halloween baby on her parent's native soil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The drama of choosing Houses was a long, drawn-out process! Alex in particular is layered enough that she could have fallen into any of them. In the end, ill and I decided to go with the idea that the three girls in particular were sorted into Houses that would encourage certain traits in them, rather than perhaps the more obvious choices. In that same vein, much of my internal thought processes about the Houses came from this post: http://shatterpath.tumblr.com/post/165808697933/we-might-have-misunderstood-hogwarts-houses-for and this post, http://queersintherain.tumblr.com/post/166116142881/about-the-houses, which also includes some of the imagery during the final mistletoe kiss.
> 
> From IMs:  
> theillogicalthinker: Nah. It's about what was the most dominant traits  
> Shatterpath: or what should be encouraged  
> theillogicalthinker: And while gryff stuff was there but not as strong as the slytherin stuff  
> Shatterpath: maybe toning down Alex's Reckless Idiot was a good thing. but Gran Gran still grumbles
> 
> Shatterpath: Kara didn't even NEED to put the Sorting Hat on Kara. Just for show  
> theillogicalthinker: Tiny smiley af Kara. Alex totally gave her baby sister a standing ovation when she got sorted and Kara ran straight to her. So there's the tiny ~~hufflepuff~~ Gryffindor hugging the already infamous slytherin. Lucy and Susan also clapping enthusiastically.  
>  Shatterpath: DAWWWW! Scary Alex, grinning like an idiot, picking her sister up to swing her around  
> theillogicalthinker: Also another note, once Kara is sorted she hugs gran gran before running to Alex  
> Shatterpath: and of COURSE she hugs Gran Gran! gives her that gap-toothed smile and runs off to Alex. Who really wasn't supposed to leave her table, but Alex.
> 
>  
> 
> It's weird, I noticed the cadence of my language use changed over the course of this piece, growing far more formal and lyrical towards the end. Interesting. 
> 
> _theillogicalthinker: Alex calling Mcgonagall gran gran is giving me life._  
>  Shatterpath: i like gran gran  
> So, a bit of detail on this exchange. In the Pyramid-verse, I envisioned Alexandra the 1st as a haughty Englishwoman come to America after WW2 because she -gasp- fell in love with an American! If you've never seen photos of young Maggie Smith, you're missing out, and her looks fit in with the rest of the family tree, so there ya go. Making the leap to McGonagall as Gran-Gran was easy after that and much of the bedrock that led to me writing this piece.
> 
> The Danvers sisters were raised as Americans, but came to Hogwarts on account of their great-grandmother being Headmistress, as did their father before them and his mother before him. Minerva's admittedly wild great granddaughters would have the best education, she would see to that!
> 
> The 'soundtrack' for the flight scenes is, Paul Van Dyk- Breaking Dawn. It suits the mix of exhilaration and quiet. It's a shame the 'Stronger Together' piece didn't fit as well, for obvious reasons! Still, it's a terrific song.
> 
> PS: So in my final read-through, I was yammering with illogical and she was sad that so much of our 'But What Happened Next' lay unwritten. With a little cheerful prodding, she got almost 2.5k of epilog out of me, WHILE WE CHATTED. It happens that way sometimes! Now we can all imagine the streams of heart-attack inducing letters and photos back to Eliza with the little family in the midst of all sorts of insanely dangerous adventures, grinning all the while.
> 
> PPS: The second chapter was so short that it was bugging me, so I added all the Christmas Day stuff in like an hour. Right before I posted. Whew!
> 
> Miscellaneous stuff: (Some of which happened and some that did not!)  
> theillogicalthinker: ALEX THE AUROR YES. Or part of the department of mysteries as an unspeakable.  
> Shatterpath: no, that's the new job she just got headhunted for. the one she can't tell Kara about  
> theillogicalthinker: Oh yeah true. Love it
> 
> theillogicalthinker: Some weird unspeakable/biologist combo  
> Shatterpath: I love Alex as an obnoxiously competent generalist. not quite an expert on anything, but so good at a lot of things that you never notice
> 
> Shatterpath: she totally needs a Backpack Of Holding  
> theillogicalthinker: Definitely has a backpack holding  
> Shatterpath: has to frequently climb into the damn thing to find what she's looking for  
> theillogicalthinker: Pulls so much random shit out of it. Stores everything in there. Her camping gear, her broom, all her tools and finds  
> all the money she'd saved up she blew on that backpack and a fancy broom. her mother is going to tear her head off when she finds out! lol  
> theillogicalthinker: She has things that are precious but she doesn't see them as assets. So many things that she acquires on her travels and people gift her. Because everyone loves Alex  
> Shatterpath: she's a charmer to be sure


End file.
